Ruppert, White, O’Day elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly a century after turning the New York Yankees into the game’s most dominant franchise, former owner Jacob Ruppert was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday along with 19th century player Deacon White and umpire Hank O’Day.

O’Day, Ruppert and White each got the necessary 75 percent of the vote from the Hall’s 16-member Pre-Integration Era Committee, which considered six former players, three executives and one umpire who made significant contributions from professional baseball’s origins through 1946.

Ruppert and O’Day were named on 15 ballots and White received 14 votes. The results were announced Monday as the Winter Meetings opened at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort.

Ruppert bought the Yankees in 1915 and turned the franchise into a powerhouse when he purchased slugger Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox prior to the 1920 season. The Yankees won 10 American League pennants and seven World Series in the 24 seasons in which Ruppert owned the team.

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White played primarily catcher and spent 20 seasons in the major leagues from 1871-90, compiling 2,067 hits in just 1,560 games with a .312 batting average. He won the National Association batting title in 1875 and then the National League crown two years later, both with Boston-based teams.

O’Day umpired 10 World Series, including the inaugural event in 1903. He was a National League umpire for 30 years after pitching in the major leagues from 1984-90.

Bill Dahlen received 10 votes and Sam Breadon, Wes Ferrell, Marty Marion, Tony Mullane, Alfred Reach and Bucky Walters were named on three ballots or fewer.

Ruppert, White and O’Day will be inducted in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Jan. 28 along with any modern-day players elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America.